The family of an Alabama inmate, Brandon Dotson, who died in prison is seeking answers after his severely decomposed body was delivered to them without his heart. The shocking incident has prompted a federal lawsuit filed by Dotson’s daughter and mother, Audrey Marie Dotson and Audrey South.
According to the lawsuit, Dotson’s body was so decomposed that his family had no choice but to hold a closed casket funeral. They discovered bruising on the back of his neck and excessive swelling across his head upon receiving the corpse. Disturbed by these findings, the family hired a pathologist to conduct an independent autopsy, only to discover that Dotson’s heart was missing from his chest cavity.
Dotson, who had served 19 years of a 99-year sentence for burglary and a parole violation, was found dead in his cell on November 21. His family believes that the Alabama Department of Corrections intentionally removed his heart during the autopsy, concealing the true cause of death and depriving them of the ability to determine it through an independent examination.
The family is now demanding the immediate return of Dotson’s heart for further examination and proper cremation or burial. They have brought claims of constitutional violations, intentional mishandling of a corpse, negligence, and wrongful death against the Alabama Department of Corrections, prison staff, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine.
The lawsuit also references the alleged practice of the Alabama Department of Corrections providing “human organs and tissues” to medical students for laboratory exercises. Dotson’s family is seeking an injunction against the director of the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences and the Alabama DOC commissioner.
The family’s attorney, Lauren Faraino, expressed frustration with the lack of answers and accountability from the Alabama Department of Corrections. She emphasized that it is the state’s responsibility to keep inmates safe and called out the department for failing not only Dotson but also numerous other individuals this year.
At the time of writing, neither the Alabama Department of Corrections nor Faraino has responded to requests for comment.
